Robert Ernest Levick

Robert Ernest Levick, the 'Chief'Born, October 4, 1928, London, England. Deceased, September 19, 2011, Whittier, California, U.S.A.Robert Ernest Levick, the 'Chief,' was born within the sound of Bowe Bells. As tradition would have it, he called himself a true Cockney. Robert was the only son of Edith May Rattray, of Scottish decent, and Ernest Albert Levick, of French and English decent. His father was a tall gaunt, mild-mannered gentleman, who served his King and Country in WWI and was held as a prisoner of war by the Germans for two and a half years. As a very young child, Robert remembered holding his father's hand while pausing to cross a street in London, when a large grand car passed by, slowing for the stately man inside to tip his hat and acknowledge 'his' father...it was the King! Robert experienced the full rage of the London Blitz by the Germans in WWI. Still a very young boy, he was injured in a bombing of his school and had to be dug out of the rubble. He continued his studies through the war and attained both Engineering and Mathematical degrees.Like his father before him and his Uncle Staff Surgeon Murray Levick who as a zoologist and medical office served with Captain Scott on Scott's last Antarctic expedition in 1912, Robert served his King and Country in post WWII. He enlisted in 'His Majesty's Service' with the Royal Gloucestershire Regiment, as a Gunner with the Royal Artillery. From 1946 thru 1949 his Regiment pursued German officers guilty of war crimes, through central Europe and across North Africa from Morocco into Egypt.After his service, being bold and self-assured, he packed one bag and bought a steerage-pass on a cargo freighter to Canada. There he enjoyed a young man's summer in 1951. His sweetheart arrived from England in October, and he was married by November 10, to Sheila Patricia Pamela Allen. Sheila and Robert had three children, Susan Terry, Caroline Kim, and Wayne Robert.Within days of Robert's arrival in Canada, he had secured employment with Canners Machinery Ltd. In that first year he had designed and built an automatic strawberry hulling device and pea-shelling and sorting processing equipment. In 1952, Robert advanced his career by taking employment with Ex-Cello Corp. where he engineered precision grinding machinery for unique manufacturing needs. Then in 1955, Robert joined Norton Company, Canada as an Abrasive Technician. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1967, continuing his career with Norton Company.He excelled in developing special applications and products for difficult manufacturing operations. Norton Company sent him to Jaguar, Steuben, Corning, Wedgewood, Waterford Crystal, bronze foundries and the woodworking industries from raw timber to fine furniture, across the U.S., Europe and the U.K. He was proud to have helped in the development of, at that time, the secret Stealth Bomber.Like his father before him, Robert invested his life with one company. He was a 'Company Man' from the old school, and retired in 1987 from Norton after 32 years of proud service.Tragically, without benefit of foresight, Robert lost his wife, Sheila, of 37 years, 10 months into his retirement. Like his first born child, Susan Terry, who only lived one day. Robert stoically carried the pain of their loss through each day of his life. He married again in 1989 to Suzette, whom he had been introduced to by Sheila.Robert lived his life with Churchillian English dignity. Those that knew him knew his word was his bond. He had a successful life, both in private and in business. Many a business deal was confirmed only with a handshake, which to Robert was as good as any written contract. He spoke highly of his late wife Sheila, and of all her special efforts to support his career and Norton Company. He told friends he was grateful for his second opportunity to be in a loving and supportive relationship in retirement with his second wife Suzette, who survives him after 22 years of marriage.While in retirement, Robert became aware that his pension with Norton Company, now sold to Saint-Gobain Corporation, was not providing the benefits he had been told and sealed with a handshake before his retirement. This violated Robert's code of honor. He discovered the company was not in complete compliance with the pension plan and doing a disservice to him and his fellow retirees in several key ways. After the company rebuked his attempts to rectify the problems, he decided he would fight for himself and his fellow retirees for the benefits he believed they were owed. After discussing with his wife Suzette his belief he and his fellows were suffering an injustice, she championed his every effort. Together they went to the United States District Court and spent the last six years of his life in an arduous, but ultimately successful fight to establish his rights and that of fellow retirees. Robert's sense of duty required no less an effort. Not unlike his service in post war Europe, and his years of service to build Norton, in retirement Robert served to protect and defend the 'Norton Family Retirees.' He leaves a public record of the company's wrong doing and E.R.I.S.A. violations, filed in the U.S.D.C, Central District of California, June 27, 2006 and again in February 11, 2009.Robert, lived 44 of his 82 years in the U.S.A., but he felt he was one of the 'King's Men' and fiercely retained his dual U.K./Canadian citizenship. When questioned about becoming a U.S. citizen, he would, without a moment's hesitation, respond in a heavy English accent, 'Become a U.S. citizen? Why, I might start talking funny like the rest of you!'Robert loved to figure things out, and solve a problem! He enjoyed wood-turning on his lathe; red sports cars; Emperor penguins; a good Scotch and a mystery spy novel. Few people know Robert was a proficient needlepoint artist. Among his many tapestries, which never veered from Olde English themes, was a true accomplishment; Rembrandt's 'The Night-Guard' from 1642, a huge undertaking at 32 X 50 inches!Robert E. Levick, was a loyal man of the old school, to his country, company and those he held dear. He carried a small tattered piece of paper in his wallet for decades, and referred to it often...'But true love is a durable fire, in the mind ever burning, never sick, never old, never dead, from itself never turning.'- Sir Walter RaleighHe leaves behind his wife S.M. Noble Levick; two children; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.